Staging vs. decorating

Sorry for the radio silence....I had some really big projects going and clearly I am not good at multi-tasking! I have also been having some issues with Blogger that wouldn't allow me to post pictures...and I couldn't do that to you-a blog with no pictures- no fun!

Anyway, I have been working on a huge staging job that just finished and then rolled into another staging job. Not that I am complaining....busy is good! And while I have my degree in Interior Design, I did get certified as a Home Stager and I do enjoy the variety that those staging jobs throw into my everyday mix! While designing is all about pleasing the client, staging is all about pleasing the masses. This is one approach:

Source: thinknsmile.com via Sabre on Pinterest

Here is one before and after of a previous job I did...perhaps my biggest transformation- Luckily I had money in the budget to paint some rooms but as with every job, there was something I had to work around: silk teal draperies. Certainly not my first choice for a neutral room- but my job was to create a warm neutral space while I incorporated the teal draperies and made them look like they were intended to be part of the design.

Here is the after photo...you can see I repeated the teal color in the artwork and in the pillows to balance the strong statement the drapes make.

I think I may have shared these before. On my most recent project, I had to work around about 75% of the homeowner's furniture.  The biggest challenge was a very large (and beautiful) Persian rug in the family room which was red and black- not ideal for staging. While the rug is beautiful- once the room is photographed, the potential buyer's eye will go straight to that rug in any photo and detract from the items we are trying to sell....the double-story windows, the view of the backyard, pool, tennis court....you get the idea. The trick was to balance the rug so it didn't steal the show. I don't have pictures to share yet- the realtor is having the project photographed so I'll share once I have them.

On another note, Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, grandmas, stepmothers, God-mothers, mother-in-law and mother figures out there! You all do such wonderful, selfless things for the special people in your life so this is your day to be hang up your cape! Be lazy and indulgent! Eat bad food! Ignore everyone and don't clean one single thing! Yes...impossible....I know....just enjoy!

Source: ca.images.search.yahoo.com via Jaimie & on Pinterest